Old female names are beautiful. Ancient Slavic female names and their meaning

With the adoption of Christianity by Russia, Slavic names were gradually replaced by names that were of Byzantine origin: we bear these names in modern times and we consider them the most ordinary Russians: Olga, Elena, Konstantin, Alexander. However, the fashion for names has changed, and, as a consequence of the constant craving for ancient Russian culture, today rare, Slavic names for children are regaining their relevance. After all, names contain a significant part of the culture, traditions, customs and history of the entire people.

The main thing in the article

Popularity of baby names

So, the fashion for Slavic names is returning, and today this process is gaining momentum, since names that came from Western countries they begin to become boring, people want something exotic, new, but still native, with Slavic origins. At the same time, parents give boys and girls not only old Russian names: those of Bulgarian, Serbian or Polish origin are also actively used.

How can we explain the increased demand for rare men's and female names, the trend of which is observed in last years in our country? It’s not easy to feel special if, besides you, there are four Dimas or three Alyoshas in the class, but before this was no surprise to anyone; newborn babies were universally called Lena or Katya.

By giving their son or daughter an unusual, exotic name, parents, first of all, strive to highlight the child and provide him with increased attention those around him, get rid of possible complexes, make him feel like an individual and confident in himself.

How to choose a name for a child?

When choosing a name for a child, mothers and fathers often face serious dilemmas and disagreements. Young parents, before choosing a single name for their son or daughter, take dozens and even hundreds of male and female names as a basis. Today, rare names for children are increasingly found even in the most ordinary families, because every parent wants to make their child stand out from the crowd. Therefore, options for what to name a child are chosen not only from modern and well-known in society, but also from ancient, even ancient names.

Just a couple of decades ago, such euphonious and courageous names as Matvey, Yaroslav, Egor, Fedor or David, and so beautiful and feminine, like Milana, Zlata or Glafira. Today, such names will no longer surprise anyone, and they have moved from the category of unusual to the category of well-known and widely used. But names like Vedagoras, Ovid, Orestes or Evsei and today they can cause bewilderment and surprise.

However, having given the baby a rare unusual name, it is also necessary to ensure that it is harmoniously combined with a very ordinary and ordinary patronymic and the same ordinary Russian surname: the discrepancy between the exotic and the “ordinary” can spoil the impression of even the most beautiful and extravagant name “with a twist.”

Traditions associated with Slavic names

Before accepting Christianity, the Slavs used names consisting of two parts. Often a second name was given to a child when he reached adolescence, the main traits of his character had already had time to form. It was on the basis of these that a name was selected that duplicated the main one. Then the girl could be called Chernava(black, dark), Ulada(the one who gets along with everyone) Malushey(youngest in the family) Veselina(cheerful), Hang on(slender) and other names that reveal a person’s features.

Such names are still used in our time, but most of them are mentioned only in ancient chronicles. The tradition of giving children composite names continues today, and is manifested in the fact that at birth a child is given one name, and at baptism - another, which is chosen according to church calendar. In this way, parents protect the child, because this should protect him from damage or the evil eye.

With the adoption of Christianity, some names were prohibited by the church, because many of them were derived from the names of ancient pagan gods, which contradicts the canons of Christianity.

There are names that are not Slavic, but are considered as such, and are widely used in modern days. They are formed from Slavic roots, but in fact they are of Greek origin. Such names include Faith, Love And Hope. Here's a girl's name like Gorislava, may cause bewilderment among relatives and friends: why was the child not named by the usual Russian name - Ira, Lena or Katya? In fact, names like Gorislava, Radoslava or Tsvetana are primordially Russian names, but long ago consigned to oblivion.

Rare names and society

It is also worth thinking about so that a baby with a very rare name does not experience discomfort in society and communication with other children, who, as we know, can be very cruel and can give offensive and unfair nicknames, deliberately distorting even the most beautiful and rare name.

It is important that the child is not ashamed of his name, and as an adult, does not experience problems of a more serious nature (for example, constant errors in documents due to the incorrect spelling of the name by others).

A person who has a rare name, but does not focus too much attention on this peculiarity and some “selectedness” of his, evokes respect from others. He gains fame strong in spirit, special, extraordinary person, goes through life with his head held high and, thanks to this, often reaches great heights on his life’s path.

If the parents called the baby rare, original name, they need to repeat it more often, tell the child the story of its origin, tell the reasons why it was chosen, and reveal its meaning. We need to help the child be proud of his name and love it. It is also important to ensure that, despite its rarity, the name for the child is not too fancy. It would be a shame if it caused ridicule from classmates, forcing little man complex and feel like a “black sheep”, lowering his self-esteem.

Beautiful ancient Russian names for girls

Thanks to its euphony and good value, newborn girls today are often given Slavic names such as:

Milan or Milena(Darling);
Zlata(gold);
Darina(sweet gift);
Zarina(fiery, hot);
Lada(beautiful, okay);
Snezhana(snowy, cool);
Mira(peaceful);
glad(the one that gives joy);
Rostislav(giving glory);
Ioannina(river);
Yesenia(clear);
Mayan(the one born in May);
Yarina(solar).

How to choose a name for a girl according to the church calendar by month, look at the photo:

What rare name to choose for a boy?

You need to choose rare names for boys wisely: such a name can sound either elegant and cute, or outlandish, ridiculous and even funny. Statistics on children's names over the past years will help you choose a name for your baby: after reading it, you can avoid getting into trouble by choosing a name that is too banal or too pretentious for your baby.

If names like Alfred, Askold, Heinrich, Dionysius, Ismail, Erast, Agathon, Osip, Leopold, Kamil, Zhdan or Lavrentiy seem too unusual and ancient, you can give preference to the following rare, but very harmonious names, which have already been adapted to modern society and have not yet become ordinary. Such names include:

Arkhip,
Luke,
Kuzma,
Demid,
Zakhar,
Plato,
Ostap,
Lukyan,
Mitrofan,
Borislav,
Makar,
Martin;
Savely,
Efim,
Elisha,
Klim,
Gregory,
Tikhon,
Hilarion,
Zinovy,
Yakov,
Gabriel.

You can choose a more exotic name for your baby by calling him Ratmir, Kamil, Robert, Oscar, Samvel, Elmir, Milan, Marat, Rustam or Ernest, however, the child’s surname is in this case must be appropriate.

How to choose a name for a boy according to the church calendar by month, look at the photo:

Meanings of Slavic girl names

Often parents give their children names based not only on its sound, but also taking into account its semantic characteristics, that is, they pay Special attention to the meaning of the name, for example:

If the daughter was very long-awaited and was born after for long years appeals to the Lord, she is called Bogdana, Bazhena or Blagoslava, or alternatively Zhdanoy(long awaited).
If the baby was born at dawn, she is given a beautiful ancient Slavic name Zoreslav.
If they want a girl to have a cheerful disposition, they call her Fun.
If they want her to grow up to be a sweet, kind, harmonious, peace-loving girl, they name her Ladomila, Miroslava, Nezhana, Tikhomira or Milada.
If parents want their daughter to always be loved by everyone, they give her names with appropriate meanings - Lyubava, Lyuboslava, Lyubomila or Lyudmila.
If they wanted to glorify the baby or she was born the day before important event, they gave her a name Radonitsa, Radoslava, Slavina, Dobroslava or Zvenislava.

When parents want their daughter to always be the center of attention and be successful with men, to be attractive and good-looking, they give her a name that embodies their wishes:

Belyan(light, clear),
Vereya(attractive, attractive)
Glafira(important, main),
Golub(loving),
Dina(light),
Dobrina(kind, earthly),
Zhelana(desired),
Krasava or Krasimira(beautiful),
Ladomila(dear beauty)
Lititsiya(giving tenderness),
Medea(pleasant)
Svetolika(having a bright face),
Charms(sweetheart, beautiful)
Vasilisa(valid).

You can choose a name for a girl according to any characteristics that are important in the opinion of parents.

Meanings of Slavic names for boys

Naming a son ancient Slavic name, parents want to give him character traits, inherent in heroes ancient military or biblical tales. Basically, this is strength of spirit and will, power, sharp mind and charisma, perseverance, kindness, desire for glory and leadership, nobility and greatness. The meanings of some ancient names that we will tell you about will help you make the right choice:

Bazhen- desired, long-awaited;
Belozar- white dawn;
Belogor- enlightened;
Berislav- the one who cares about fame;
Blagoslav- glorifying kindness.
Bogolyub- worshiper of God.
Veligor- great.
Wenceslaus- crowned with glory.
Gorislav- fiery, highly revered.
Darimil- merciful.
Dobroslav- glorifying, giving kindness.
Lubomir- loving world.
Miloslav- glorifying mercy.
Radimir (Radomir)- protecting the world.
Svetovid- insightful;
Svetozar- illuminating with light.
Yaropolk- commander of the solar army.

Which names should you not choose and why?

And yet, not many parents are extreme and consider it possible to name their child with a too unusual Slavic name. Such native Slavic names of girls as Alatyrka, Amelfa, Valkyrie, Dabizhiva, Dragana or Ragosna are not used in modern names.

In addition, a name for a boy should not sound too pretentious or pretentious, or cause unpleasant associations with both parents and other family members. Eg, Adolf, Caesar, King or Friedrich may cause society mixed reaction: You shouldn’t create problems for your child from birth.

Statistics of Old Russian names for children in Russia

Since the demand for rare names is steadily growing, by giving such a name today, the child’s parents are not at all immune from the fact that in a few years the chosen one will not become as popular as today’s Daniel And Nikita. The same story happened with such incredibly beautiful names as Kirill, Timofey, Nazar, Gleb, Matvey, Ilya or Arseny– despite their external rarity, unusualness and antiquity, they are today quite widely used, not being outlandish or rare.

And yet, so far the most popular name for boys remains Alexander. Also in the top ten most popular Egor, Kirill, Timofey, Maxim, Ivan, Artem, Daniil And Nikita. Girls are most often called Sophia, Maria, Varvara, Miroslava And Zlatami. Not inferior in popularity are names such as Anastasia, Eva, Alisa, Alexandra, Daria.

Today in our country, about 7% of newborn babies receive original Slavic names, but this trend is becoming more widespread from year to year.

You can familiarize yourself with the unique TOP names of boys and girls in recent years from the videos presented below.

Ancient Slavic female names.

Bazhena is the female form of the name Bazhen.
Belogora - enlightened.
Beloslava is a female form named after Beloslav.
Berislava is the female form of the name Berislav.
Blagoslava is the female form of the name Blagoslav.

Bogdana is the feminine form of the name Bogdan.
Bogumila - dear to the Gods.
Boleslava is the female form of the name Boleslav.
Borislava is the female form of the name Borislav.
Boyana is the feminine form of the name Boyan.

Bratislava is the female form of the name Bratislava.
Bronislava is the female form of the name Bronislav.
Vedana (Vedeneya, Vedenya) - knowledgeable.
Vedislava - glorifying knowledge.
Velizhana is polite, pacifying her feelings.

Velizara - multi-light, illuminated.
Velimira is the female form of the name Velimir.
Velislava is the female form of the name Velislav.
Wenceslaus is the female form of the name Wenceslaus.
Faith is faith, true.

Veselina (Vesela) is the female form of the name Veselin.
Vladimir is the female form of the name Vladimir.
Vladislava is the female form of the name Vladislav.
Voislava is the female form of the name Voislav.
Omniscient - omniscient.

Vsemil is the feminine form of the name Vsemil.
Vseslav is the female form of the name Vseslav.
Goluba is meek.
Gorislava is the female form of the name Gorislav.
Gradislava is the female form of the name Gradislav.

Granislava is the female form of the name Granislav.
Darena (Darina, Dara) is the female form of the name Daren.
Dzvenislava - glorified.
Dobrovlada - possessing kindness.
Dobrogora - exalting good.

Dobrolyuba - loving goodness.
Dobromila is the feminine form of the name Dobromil.
Dobromira is the female form of the name Dobromir.
Dobroslava is the female form of the name Dobroslav.
Dragomir is the female form of the name Dragomir.

Zhdana is the female form of the name Zhdan.
Zhivoroda is the priestess of Zhiva.
Zvenislava - proclaiming glory; glorifying.
Zlatotsveta (Zlata) - golden-flowered.
Zoremira - illuminating, enlightening the world.

Iskra is the feminine form of the name Iskren.
Kazimir - the female form of the name Kazimir.
Krasimira is the female form of the name Krasimir.
Lada - beloved, dear. Goddess of love, mother of the Gods.
Ladomila - dear to the goddess Lada, merciful.

Ladomira is the female form of the name Ladomir.
Ladoslava - glorifying Lada.
Luchezara - radiant, illuminating with light.
Lyubava (Love) - beloved.
Lyubomila - beloved, dear.

Lyubomir is the feminine form of the name Lyubomir.
Lyuboyara - loving Yarila.
Lyudmila is the female form of the name Lyudmil.
Ludomira - reconciler of people.
Milada - dear to the goddess Lada.

Milana (Milena) is the female form of the name Milan.
Miloslava is the female form of the name Miloslav.
Miroslava is the female form of the name Miroslav.
Mstislava is the female form of the name Mstislav.
Hope is hope.

Nekrasa is the female form of the name Nekras.
Ogneslava - glorifying Fire.
Ogneyara is the female form of the name Ogneyar.
Peredslava (Predslava) – preceding glory. Historical figure: Predslava is the wife of Svyatoslav Igorevich, the mother of Yaropolk Svyatoslavich.

Peresvet is the female form of the name Peresvet.
Radmila - pleasing with sunny mercy.
Radimir is the female form of the name Radimir.
Radislava is the female form of the name Radislav.
Radmila is caring and sweet.

Radosveta - sanctifying joy.
Joy (Rada) - joy, happiness, sunny.
Rostislava is the female form of the name Rostislav.
Svetislava is the female form of the name Svetislav.
Svetlana is the female form of the name Svetlana.

Svetozara (Svetozara) is the female form of the name Svetozar.
Svetogor is the female form of the name Svetogor.
Svetoyara - sunny.
Snezhana is white-haired and cold.
Stanimira is the female form of the name Stanimir.

Stanislava is the female form of the name Stanislav.
Tikhomira is the female form of the name Tihomir.
Chaslava (Cheslava) is the female form of the name Chaslav.
Chernava - dark-haired, dark-skinned; avesha mara.
Pike is the personified name of the animal world. The earthly incarnation of the ROD.

Jaromila - dear Yarile.
Yaroslava - female form named after Yaroslav

In the past, parents did not come up with names for their children - the clergyman gave a certain name to the baby during baptism. In Rus' they firmly believed that the name determines the entire history of a person’s life, so they completely trusted the church in this. After the baptism of Rus', the child received a double name: one personal, and the other for Christmastide. Today, fortunately, mothers and fathers have the right to choose a name for their child on their own, but this is not an easy task! There are so many beautiful and euphonious options that it’s easy to get confused. Let's find out how to choose a female name for a child.

A little princess is about to appear in your family. The crib has already been assembled and miniature dresses and booties have been purchased. With dowry for the girl expectant mother questions usually do not arise, but when choosing a name, doubts and disputes often arise with the child’s father and other family members. What to focus on in this matter, the dictates of the heart or fashion trends, young parents must decide for themselves.

Of course, it also happens that a woman already knows exactly what her baby’s name will be, immediately after the pregnancy test pleases her with two promising lines. Then, for nine months, the happy mother enthusiastically talks to her belly, where Verochka or Arishka grows. Other women are looking for the best and unique name for their princess, they continue to go through beautiful female names for the child in their minds even after returning from the maternity hospital. In this case, the final point in these throwings is put by the eldest child or the baby’s father. Be that as it may, the selection of a name for the heiress has always been and will be hot topic for couples expecting a stork.

How to name a child: looking for female names

When faced with choosing a name for your baby, always keep in mind two unbreakable rules:

name is confirmed by mutual consent parents, that is, your husband should like your idea as much as you do;
the name is selected based on its euphony in conjunction with the girl’s surname and patronymic. Agree, Alexandrova Alexandra Alexandrovna sounds strange (we are, of course, exaggerating, but you understand the train of thought).

The opinion that a girl’s name must be modern and fashionable is subjective, so this point should be paid attention to last. If you are crazy about Old Slavonic names, feel free to name your baby Zora, Krasimira or Beloslava, and this approach to the matter will be the most correct.

Lists of female names for children are usually compiled based on some characteristic.

Choosing a name for a girl according to its meaning

The meaning inherent in the name is decisive for many parents: child amazingly takes on the qualities or line of fate that his name conceals. Therefore, when looking through female names for a child, be sure to pay attention to the meaning of each name (suddenly, when you hear one of them, your soul will intuitively feel warm!) We offer you a list of beautiful girlish names with their secret meaning:

Adele is one who belongs to the noble class;
Alice – irresistible, attractive;
Vasilisa - royal blood;
Gayana – belonging to the earth;
Gloria - glorious;
Deya - God's;
Dina – believer, pious;
Eve – life-giving, mischievous;
Elizabeth is the one who honors God;
Zoya – full of life;
Ivanna is a gift from above;
Spark – blinding, bright;
Oya – violet;
Kira is the one who rules everyone;
Constance – rebellious;
Liliana – fragrant, blooming;
Maya - spring;
Melania is dark-skinned;
Mlada – young;
Nina is the one who leads everyone and everything;
Nika is the winner;
Olesya – brave;
Polina – foresighted;
Regina – regal;
Selena – lunar;
Sophia - wise, fair;
Taira – persistent;
Uslada – having a sweet voice;
Felicia – happy;
Floriana is always young;
Christina – belonging to Christ;
Elvira – calm;
Juno is the one who protects marriage;
Jaromira – bringer of peace and light.

Beautiful names for girls according to the church calendar

The well-forgotten old is always in fashion. So, calling the little ones, after checking the church calendar, or Saints is again relevant. From a huge list we have selected the most beautiful church names for girls:

January – Emilia, Augusta, Eugenia;
February – Ksenia, Vera, Maria;
March – Marianna, Iraida, Ulyana;
April - Nika, Sofia, Lydia;
May – Pelageya, Muse, Julia;
June – Elena, Nina, Susanna;
July – Ioanna, Valentina, Mina;
August – Anfisa, Daria, Anna;
September – Tatyana, Irina, Vera;
October – Zlata, Ustina, Ariadne;
November – Pelageya, Olga, Cleopatra;
December – Marina, Tamara, Ekaterina.

Choosing a name for a girl according to the horoscope

Women who are interested in astrology believe that girl names define them future fate. And the baby’s personal horoscope will tell you what to name her and, accordingly, what kind of life to give her. If this topic is not alien to you, be sure to check with astrological calendar, the compilers of which take into account the most optimal union of the name and zodiac sign. Here are just some Russian female names for children, dictated to us by different constellations:

a friendly and pleasant Aries girl blossoms if you call her Alice, Raisa or Allochka;
the ambitious and sometimes stubborn Taurus girl will proudly bear the name Diana, Maya (Maya) or Angelica;
the Gemini girl, dual in all respects, will come to an agreement with herself, bearing the name Elsa, Aksinya, Gloria or Taisiya;

the impressionable and touchy baby Cancer will be more balanced thanks to the name Bogdana, Melania, Selena or Aelita;
for an independent little girl who was born under the constellation Leo, would be better suited name Isabella, Emma, Aurora or Eleanor;
the scrupulous and pedantic Virgo will be “relaxed” in a positive way by the name Vita, Linda, Gerda or Edita;
narcissistic, but very charming Libra girls will organically merge with the name Veronica, Snezhana, Bella, Zlata or Milena;

the complex character of the Scorpio girl is perfectly corrected by the names Elina, Marta, Zara, Seraphim;
active and restless Sagittarius girls will always have a foothold in life thanks to the name Zhanna, Patricia, Marianna or Violetta;
names such as Nora, Kira, Renata or Varenka are suitable for the imperturbable baby Capricorn;
Aquarius girls, born freedom fighters, will always be helped by the name Gloria, Frida or Lolita;
a creative person who was born under the sign of Pisces will find inspiration in everything, if you call her Eve, Adeline, Venus or Amelia.

What are some unusual names for girls?

Behind last year in the Moscow region alone, babies were born with the names Princess Daniella, Zarya-Zaryanitsa, Angel Maria and Alyosha-Kaprina. There have always been and will be lovers of shocking things: the latest statistics show that more and more parents are deciding to give their daughter a name that not only sounds unusual, but may also seem strange to others. Here is a list of rare female names for children, the owners of which regularly appear in modern society:

Bozena;
Rosalia;
Spring;
Bagheera;
Cleopatra;
Byzantium.

Over the past few years, the most shocking female names for children have become:

Cherry;
Joy;
Legend;
Raspberries;
Alice-Nefertiti;
Golub;
Ocean;
Moon.

Why do some parents tend to go to such extremes? What is this - a desire to emphasize the exclusivity of your child or to compensate for the lack of attention to himself? Of course, you can call your daughter any name you like. However, always look to the future as your girl grows up. Psychologists are confident that an unusual name can become a serious problem for a child and hinder his successful adaptation to the team. If the baby feels like a black sheep because of her name, the mother will have to not only explain to her daughter the motives for her extravagant act in the past, but also convincingly prove that she is right.

The most popular modern names for girls

According to the Civil Registry Office of the capital of Russia in 2017, the most popular names for little Muscovites they are distinguished by femininity, warmth and soulfulness. In the top three:

Sofia. The girl named by this name is sensible beyond her years, very calm and inquisitive. All her life Sonechka has been connected with her mother by an invisible thread, for her this is authority and the most close person. As a child, Sofia is affectionate and soft, but not at all assiduous. Pedantry and patience will come to her with age. The stars promise a girl with that name strong love and a happy marriage.
Maria. Mashunya, Mashenka, Masya - how much warmth and affection there is in this simple name! Little Maria captivates those around her with her calmness and kindness. The girl is very vulnerable and sometimes reacts too painfully to criticism, and parents must take this into account. Over time, Masha will become more self-confident, her character will become firmer. Women with this name are wonderful wives and fair mothers.
Daria. A very active and energetic girl! Sometimes excessive impulsiveness interferes with Dasha’s life, but this is compensated by her innate prudence and thriftiness. In general, life for the woman named Daria is going well. No matter what age is listed in the passport, there is always something childlike and spontaneous about Dasha, thanks to which there is no end to gentlemen.

Foreign names for girls

Another common trend is to borrow baby names from foreign culture. Perhaps this is explained by the fact that English language acquired international status, and we have always treated the life of Americans with great interest. Be that as it may, the names Bella, Monica, Nicole, Vanessa, Stefania, Camilla, Jasmine and others are increasingly heard.

It is impossible to cover all the names for girls that exist today in one article. The more understandable are the doubts of future mothers and fathers who have been studying calendars of women’s names for months, because they so want to find their own, native name, which the baby will proudly carry through life! However, these tedious efforts sooner or later pay off - your heart will lead you to the right name. Good luck with your search!

Even before the birth of a child, future parents are puzzled by the issue of choosing a name for the baby. Slavic names for girls have now once again reached the peak of their popularity. The latter were practically forced out of use by the Byzantine and Greek variants of names that replaced them. What Slavic names are popular among modern newborn girls? And what should you consider when choosing a female name?

How to choose a name for a girl

Modern methods of choosing children's names are somewhat different from those practiced in ancient times.

A little history. In Rus', even before the sacrament of infant baptism, it was customary to call by names that characterize personal qualities or a person's appearance. This is how the Molchans, Kudryavs, Krasavs, etc. appeared. With the adoption of Christianity, the names of newborns began to be included in the church calendar. Already in the 14th century, children began to be called Christian names. A little later, Russian surnames, formed from names (Petr - Petrov) and so on, began to join them.

IN modern world When choosing a name for a baby, parents take into account various factors: relevance, combination with surname and patronymic, meaning of the name, personal preferences. The church calendar has not lost its relevance - the tradition of choosing a name according to the calendar. The original zodiac calendar, which compares names with the zodiac circle, is also gaining increasing popularity. According to him, the name is matched to a specific zodiac sign. In this case, it is best that the name and sign are endowed with the same or similar characteristics.

Table of correspondence between female name and zodiac sign

Beautiful Old Slavonic names for girls

Old Church Slavonic names for girls are mostly beautiful and sweet-sounding. It's no surprise that some parents want to give them to their daughters.

Names of this type are divided into several varieties:

Originating from natural or flora: Akulina - eagle, Azalea - blooming, etc. Similar names recognized as symbolic, because the ancient Slavs loved and revered nature and everything connected with it.
Reflecting the character of the baby (Arsenia – courageous, Varvara – wild). The choice of names of this type should be approached very carefully and carefully, because many experts are sure that it is this name that determines the character and future destiny of a person.
Derived from the names of deities (Lada - the deity of beauty, Mara - the goddess of the night). As in the case of the calendar, such a name, according to the beliefs of the Slavs, brought the person named by it closer to the deity of the same name.
Dibasic: Lyubomila, Svetozara, Svyatoslav, Yaroslav, Miroslav.

This is interesting. Since ancient times, the Slavs have formed the custom of naming newborn girls double names. Our ancestors were sure that a name is a secret key, and it should only be owned by its owner and no one else. Therefore, the first name became publicly available to people, while the second was kept strictly secret. It was believed that in this way the girl could be protected from the evil eye and words. The first name, which for people was usually not distinguished by its beauty and pleasant sound: Dobrogneva, Zloba, etc. It was believed that the bearer of such a dissonant name was reliably protected from evil people. The girl received her middle name when she reached a certain age, usually adolescence. It was much more euphonious than the first.

The tradition of double naming gradually disappeared; many of the second, beautiful names are still popular today:

Darina – gift giver;
Dobrava - kind;
Eupraxia is the creator of good deeds;
Agnes - chaste;
Agnia – pure;
Ariadne - sleeping;
Beatrice - blessing;
Bogdana – given by god;
Vasilisa - regal;
Ada is a decoration.

Modern Russian female names

At all times, there has been a certain “demand” for names given to newborns. The Moscow Civil Registry Office has established interesting statistics on names for 2016. According to her, modern popular Russian names for women are as follows: Anna, Elizaveta, Victoria, Polina, Anastasia, Maria, Daria.

Numerous Orthodox names are undeniably popular.

Forgotten and rare names

Although relevant in one era, many women's names were forgotten in subsequent years. Gradually returning to oblivion, they again took off on the crest of a wave of popularity, and this continues to this day.

Rare and beautiful names of our time include the following list:

Bella – beautiful;
Venus – love;
Ida - fruit-bearing;
Oya – violet;
Liliana - lily;
Olympics - Olympic;
Stella is a star;
Junia – in charge of marriage and love;
Palmyra - palm tree.

Orthodox Russian female names - saints

The tradition of naming newborns after saints has come to us since ancient times, namely, after the adoption of Christianity. By choosing a name for a newborn according to the church calendar, people believed that they were paying a kind of tribute to the saint revered in the family, after whom the child was named. In the modern world, not all parents are guided by piety when choosing a name according to the calendar - most often this choice is dictated by the desire to name the child an unusual, euphonious name.

When determining a name according to the calendar, the baby’s date of birth is usually taken into account, compared with the name of the saint commemorated on that day. An alternative option is possible: the baby is named after the saint on the 8th day after birth. If during this time suitable name was not found, in the old days they chose the name of a saint that fell on the 40th day after the birth of the child. It was believed that it was at this time that the baby should be brought to the temple where the sacrament of baptism took place. In some cases, as an exception, it was possible to name a baby in honor of any saint revered in a particular family.

It should be noted that most of the names in the calendar are male. For this reason, it is acceptable to call girls by the female equivalent of the names of male saints, if one exists. For example, if the birth of a baby occurred on the day of remembrance of Victor, Valery or Evgeniy, the girl, accordingly, can be named Victoria, Valeria or Evgeniya. The girl's patron is a saint who shares her name.

Unusual Slavic names

But not all parents are guided by considerations of the relevance of the name or its prevalence. Some, on the contrary, are ready to give the child the most intricate and rare name.

Fans of unusual names will certainly like the options Ustinya, Aurora, Leya, Malvina, Lyubava, Vesna and others.

Along with rare variants names, parents are increasingly choosing unusual ways name your daughters. Most of the names sound unusual to the ears of a Russian person, however, you can be sure that the baby’s name will not appear among the majority of her girlfriends in the future. According to personal statistics, the most rare names over the past 5 years, Russia, Legend, Joy, Byzantium, Moon, Oceana, etc. are considered.

Advice. A rare and unusual-sounding name is, of course, original and unusual. However, in pursuit of atypical options, parents should not forget about moderation. So, the name should be harmoniously combined with the baby’s surname and patronymic. In addition, it would not be superfluous to inquire about the meaning that each specific name has.

Parents generally want only the best for their children. According to many specialists and esotericists, you can make a small (and in the future a large) person happy by choosing a suitable name for him. To do this, you can use modern Russian and foreign nominal options or refer to the list of names popular since the times of the ancient Slavs. When choosing a name, you should think about the compatibility of the latter with the surname and patronymic. You should also pay attention to the sound and ease of pronunciation of the name - too long and cumbersome, it is unlikely to properly decorate the girl’s life in her life.

Video on the topic

With the adoption of Christianity, the Russian name book was enriched with names belonging to almost the entire world civilization: with the Byzantine calendar, Greek, Jewish, Roman and other names came to us. Thus, it turns out that the female Russian names that surround us have the most different origins, they came to us from different nations and enriched Russian culture with their sound, content and meaning.

Female names of Slavic origin

These are female names Slavic origin can be considered truly Russian. In the old days, there were a great many female names of Slavic origin, but to this day only a few remain in use.

Russian names for women of Greek origin

Among all modern female Russian names, the most names are Greek origin. They were most often given as baptismal names, which led to their wide distribution during Christianity.

Female names of Latin (Roman) origin

In ancient times, the Latin (or ancient Roman) language was quite widespread. Therefore, Roman names penetrated the cultures of many peoples. Over time, female names of Roman origin gained wide popularity in Rus'.

Russian female names of Jewish origin

Female names Jewish origin also met and are found quite often in Rus'. And the most famous of them is Maria.

Most female names Soviet origin were rarely used and did not catch on, remaining rather a historical and linguistic curiosity. However, some of these names, composed successfully, have survived and become quite widely known.

Popular and rare female Russian names and their meanings are destiny, destiny. All female names determine the purpose of life, therefore, since ancient times, the choice of a name - sacred ritual, called "criticism". Unfortunately, almost forgotten now. Parents, when choosing a name for their daughter, are guided by anything but the simplest attitudes. Despite the variety of female Russian names, it sometimes becomes very difficult for parents to choose the most suitable name for their daughter. You can choose endlessly, but it is important to remember one simple rule: the rougher and tougher a Russian female name sounds, the stronger, more daring and even courageous a girl with that name will have. Those names in which vowel sonorant sounds predominate most often reward their owners with softness and tenderness.

When choosing a name for your daughter, it is important to achieve harmony between the first name, last name and patronymic. If we talk about the main traditions of naming, then quite often parents name their daughters in honor of relatives, outstanding personalities, celebrities.

And, of course, like other names, Russian female names are not without meaning; they carry a certain message, a message. So, the most popular and common Russian female names are Alexandra, Daria, Elena, Elizaveta, Anna, Tatyana.

Among Russian female names there are also the most interesting, melodic and beautiful. These could be the names Vasilisa, Valeria, Veronica, Victoria, Evgenia, Miroslava, Polina, Yulia. Increasingly, modern parents are choosing these once rare names for their daughters.

A characteristic feature of female Slavic names is the presence of several stems, most often two. Here, for example, are Yaroslava, Miroslava, Svetlana, Milolika and others. Female Slavic names are quite simple and understandable; to understand their meaning, you do not need to turn to special literature. That's why they are so popular.

If we touch upon the ancient Slavs, it will become clear that they, in fact, adhered to the double name, since they believed in mystical connection between him and his owner. So, the real name was known only to a narrow circle of people, that is, relatives. Everyone else knew the so-called “false name.” As a rule, the second name was given to the child in adolescence, as it denoted a certain feature of his behavior and character.

In the last few years, parents have begun to choose female Slavic names for their daughters, which have been rare for quite a long time. And all because I want to emphasize individuality, expressiveness, and also endow the child with certain traits characteristic of given name. The most beautiful and sonorous female names of Slavic origin can be called Yarina, Miroslava, Zlata, Vladislava, Lyubomila, Lyubov, Lyudmila, Milana, Milena, Snezhana.